Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden, left, has his pass knocked down by Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko during last Sunday's game. Weeden has had five passes batted down in the past two games.Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal

BEREA, Ohio — As a former minor-league pitcher, Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden has plenty of experience with batted balls. Depending on his level of frustration, he had the option of drilling a hitter in the small of the back or the meaty portion of the leg.

That almost never happens in football. The last quarterback to intentionally plunk a defensive player was probably Paul Crewe against the prison guards in "The Longest Yard."

So Weeden and his offensive linemen must find other ways to combat defenders who can create chaos with deflections and batted balls, which have plagued the Browns in recent weeks. They have suffered five in the past two games and seven this season, which is tied for the NFL's most, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

"Make the ball round so I could curve it," Weeden said, smiling.

In the parlance of the game, quarterbacks are "throwing passes in windows."

Sailing them over the line without having them swatted back like volleyballs at the net requires a coordinated effort -- one that occasionally involves a level of nastiness most fans don't detect.

Sometimes, it's tugging down on the jersey of a defensive lineman as he starts to reach for the ball. Sometimes, it's shoving a defender in the chest just as he jumps, in hopes of putting him on his back. On other instances, it's "cutting" a defender -- diving at his knees or feet.

"There have been a few personal fouls after the whistle for those," said Browns five-time Pro Bowler Joe Thomas. "[Defensive linemen] get pretty upset with that. You are definitely not making any friends."

It's a part of the game that often gets lost on spectators who are following the flight of the ball.

In the past two weeks, however, the underrated skill of blocking a pass and the techniques used to counter it have come into focus. The 6-3 Weeden had two balls batted against the New Yorks Giants and three against the Cincinnati Bengals. One deflection led to a first-quarter interception by the Bengals.

A season ago, the 6-1 Colt McCoy had 13 passes rejected at the line in 14 games.

Shurmur believes batted passes are a shared responsibility among linemen, the quarterback and coaches. It's making the right calls, throwing balls in proper lanes and finding ways to discourage defensive linemen from jumping or sticking up their hands.

While preparing for opponents, offensive line coaches will identify "jumpers," or players most likely to paw at passes. Houston's J.J. Watt (eight balls batted) and the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul (four) are among the league's best at it. Defensive end Jaabal Sheard leads the Browns with two.

"Guys will pull you by the jersey, or sometimes cut you and try to scare you," Sheard said. "Holding is legal in the league as long as it's not out wide or noticeable. It's just part of the game, and you have to fight through it."

Defensive tackle Frostee Rucker said he has never been cut and, as with most of his ilk, takes a dim view of it.

"For the most part, a lot of guys are pretty stand-up about not being dirty and protecting the brotherhood we are in," Rucker said. "We are in a tight-knit fraternity."

Thomas said Browns offensive line coach George Warhop isn't a big proponent of cutting defenders. Warhop's philosophy isn't rooted in a respect for the "brotherhood" as much as it is in what might happen to his quarterback if the offensive lineman leaves his feet and whiffs on his block, Thomas said.

Eliminating jumpers is vital on quick throws such as slants, in which quarterbacks are putting little loft on the ball. Thomas said offensive linemen relish the chance to shove a leaping defender and cause him to tumble backward.

"You want the first thing that hits the ground to be the back of their head," Thomas said.

What's most frustrating to offensive linemen is that batted passes often come as the result of them doing their primary job -- keeping defenders away from the quarterback. The Browns have surrendered just 11 sacks, tying them for seventh fewest in the league.

Unable to reach the quarterback, some defenders leave their feet in hopes of deflecting the ball. That's when the offensive lineman is trying to deliver that one good shot, said Browns guard Jason Pinkston.

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